Does the Runner's High Exist?

Does the Runner's High Exist?

Sure, running does wonders for the body and mind. But many runners claim a sense of elation that could be considered an actual high. Does this mysterious sensation exist?

Run, Baby, Run! Why It Matters

The runner's high phenomenon is fueled by reports of euphoria or elation experienced during or after running. From cardio to weightlifting, exercise causes the body to release energy and mood improving endorphins Beta-endorphin response to exercise. Goldfarb, A., A Jamurtas. Exercise and Sport Science Department, University of North Carolina-Greensboro. Sports Medicine. 1997 Jul; 24(1): 8-16.. But can these endorphins actually create a “high”?

Need a mood boost? Maybe it’s time to start training for that marathon.

One group of researchers found an increase in pleasure receptor activity in the brain after two hours of jogging, which could start to explain the feelings of euphoria experienced by some avid long distance runnersThe Runner’s High: Opioidergic mechanisms in the human brain. Boecker, H., Sprenger, T., Spiker, M.E., et al. Nuklearmedizinische Klinik Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universitat Munchen, Munich, Germany. Cereberal Cortex. 2008 Nov;18(11):2523-31.. Need a mood boost? Maybe it’s time to start training for that half-marathon.

Hit The Ground Running—The Answer/Debate

While some studies support the runner's high, we don't have all the answers just yet. In the previously mentioned study, the sample size was very small, just 10 already-fit subjects The Runner’s High: Opioidergic mechanisms in the human brain. Boecker, H., Sprenger, T., Spiker, M.E., et al. Nuklearmedizinische Klinik Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universitat Munchen, Munich, Germany. Cereberal Cortex. 2008 Nov;18(11):2523-31.. And while each athlete's brain activity was scanned using advanced imaging techniques, receptor levels were not measured during the run, when the supposed “high” is generally reported. Another study showed a clear connection between 50 minutes of moderate intensity exercise and increased activity in the body's release of natural drug-like compoundsExercise activates the endocannabinoid system. Sparling, P.B., Giuffrida, A., Piomelli, D., et al. School of Applied Physiology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA. Neuroreport. 2003 Dec 2;14(17):2209-11..

The consensus? Endorphins released while running could create an euphoric feeling, but the scientific evidence can’t support these claims 100% just yet, as the effects of endorphins vary from person to person. And though super-fit research subjects experienced a post-run surge of endocannabinoids, these results seem to point to a biologically-driven urge to run, rather than a post-run high. While scientists have stopped short of drawing conclusions about whether changes in brain chemistry prove the existence of runners' euphoria, the runners who claim a consistent, pleasurable high, well, they’re having too much fun in la-la land to really care.